Carry On
by Nami
Summary: Kagome reflects on the tragedy that changed her life.


Carry On

By Nami

Kagome stood at Inu Yasha's grave and fingered the jewel at her throat. It was hard

to believe that it had been almost a whole year now and it still stung to think about it. 

*`*Flashback*`*

"Inu-Yasha, back off!" It was the night Inu Yasha was killed. Except Kagome

didn't know that yet. If she had, maybe she wouldn't have been so harsh. "Look! We got all 

the shards now, right?! I'm goin' home!"

"Kagome," Inu Yasha's voice was dangerously low, "you can't go back!" Kagome's features 

softened.

"Why not?" she asked, trying to keep her hopes down. It had been months since he had told

her that, contrary to her beliefs, he did not hate her. In fact, his feelings were quite the opposite.

"Can you give me one good reason to stay?"

"Because I... you... we..." He growled as best he could without the aid of demon vocal chords.

(It was the new moon and he was 100% human for the night.) "Because you still have the stone!"

He finally managed to spit out. Kagome's face fell along with her hopes.

"Look, Inu Yasha," she said coldly, "I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I 

don't need some stupid... _half-breed_ ... telling me what to do! Get your own life!" Inu Yasha visibly

flinched at the word she used to describe him. It was bad enough that the entire (living) population of 

supernatural beings in the world rubbed his human blood in his face, but now Kagome, too? He didn't

respond to her words immediately, but instead focused on the ground. "Inu Yasha, I..." Kagome

put her hand on his arm, "I..." Inu Yasha pulled away from her touch as if it burned him.

"Are you gonna go back through the well or not?" he demanded, so low that Kagome almost didn't 

hear him. Kagome turned to go, took a couple steps, and looked back, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Inu Yasha." she said, trying to fight the tears building up in her eyes. "I'll be back."

"Feh." Inu Yasha feigned indifference. "See if I care if you never come back." he said through 

clenched teeth, still not looking at her. Kagome bit her lip and walked out of the village towards the well.

*`* End Flashback *`*

Kagome sat down on the ground and leaned her head against the trunk of the tree. She had buried

him under the tree she first found him under. The God Tree.

"Oh, Inu Yasha," she ran her hand over the grave marker, "if only I hadn't said that to you. I 

wouldn't have left like that. Things would different. You wouldn't be dead." A single tear fell down her 

cheek and hit the earth.

*`* Flashback*`*

Kagome was walking through the woods absently. If she hadn't been so upset at herself, she would have

paid attention better. Would have sensed the crow demon watching her as she made her way further into the 

trees. Instead, she was playing with the newly restored jewel that was tied on a string around her neck.

"Kagome, get down!" Inu Yasha jumped her from behind, tackling her to the ground. She was

about to yell at him, but then she sensed it. Not only the crow demon, but also the stronger (much stronger)

demon behind it.

"Sesshoumaru..." she breathed, her blood turning to ice.

"Well, little brother," a mildly amused voice said from the shadows, "whatever happened to you? Oh, that's

right! You're a half-breed! I guess your blood ran out! Poor baby!" Kagome flinched and felt Inu 

Yasha tense on top of her. Twice in one night. In one hour! 

"Stay down, Kagome," he said, hauling himself to his feet, "I'll take care of this."

"Inu-Yasha, I--" Kagome clenched her teeth to keep from crying before trying to continue. "I--"

"Still consorting with that same mortal? Hmm. She must be good if you kept her for two whole years!

Maybe I'll... taste... her after I kill you and get the Tetsusaiga." Inu Yasha turned bright red with

rage before responding to his brother's words.

"You won't touch her!" He cried, drawing his father's fang. Then he remembered. He couldn't use it 

when he was a human. *Damn it all!* he cried silently. 

Kagome watched, horrified, as the fight quickly turned against Inu Yasha. After throwing his brother 

against the near by cliff face a few times and listening (with pleasure, Kagome was sure) as Inu-Yasha's

bones cracked and crushed one by one, Sesshoumaru became tired with his new toy and. mercifully, killed him.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome screamed, jumping up and running to his side.

"Kagome, I..." he coughed up blood, "I... love..." Kagome covered his mouth with her hand and cradled

his head in her lap.

"I know," she whispered brokenly, "I love you, too, Inu Yasha." she leaned down and kissed him on the 

lips, tasting but ignoring the blood on his face and in his mouth. With a sob, Kagome broke the kiss off and 

buried her face in chest, which was rather difficult to do, since his head was still in her lap.

"You smell good." Inu Yasha whispered, touching his bloodied hand to her silky, black hair. Kagome 

smiled and sniffed, then she looked up at Sesshoumaru's face, letting loose a growl from the pits of her chest that

would have made Inu Yasha proud.

"Damn you!" she screamed ferally. "You bastard! You killed him!" she pulled her bow and arrow and,

never taking her eyes off the demon's face, coldly aimed and let loose one of the enchanted arrows that Kaede 

helped her make. She let it go and it hit its mark dead on, killing Sesshoumaru slowly and, with any luck,

painfully. "Die, you son of a bitch." she growled between her teeth before dropping the bow and turning her 

attention back to Inu Yasha. The boy reached up and brushed away her tears, leaving a streak of blood

on her cheek.

"Kiss..."  he whispered, and Kagome cut him off, moving so that her body was next to his and covering

his mouth with a deepening kiss that didn't end until Inu Yasha's body went stiff in her arms and his lips

slackened. Kagome sobbed against his lips and pulled back, sprinkling tears on his dead face. She laid her

head against his chest and lay there, sobbing, until she fell asleep.

*`*End Flashback*`*

"Oh, Inu Yasha, you idiot." she sniffed at the cold earth. "Why did you have to go and die? Why did

you leave me alone?"

"You're not alone, Kagome." a familiar voice rang through the still air. Kagome looked up, a hopeful smile

on her face. Standing there above her was Inu Yasha, back in his original form and smiling down at her.

"Inu Yasha," Kagome jumped up and threw her arms around him. He caught her and held her close.

"Kagome, you have Kaede and Sango and Miroku and Shippou. Not to mention Souta and your 

mom and grandpa. So, for now, be happy. We'll be together again soon. And then we'll be together forever. 

I swear." He kissed her, a long kiss that was meant to last for however long it took for Kagome to join the 

man she loved. 

"Inu Yasha, I'm sorry. For what I called you that night. I didn't mean it." Kagome whispered when

they finally came up for air.

"Shhh.... I know. I know, Kagome." Inu Yasha smoothed her long black hair with his hand and 

brought her face back up to look at his eyes. "I love you, Kagome. Remember that. Remember me." He 

kissed her again. A long, passionate kiss that knocked the air out of Kagome and sent her world spinning. She 

pulled back and gasped for air, clinging to Inu-Yasha until the world stopped spinning.

"I could never forget you, love." she whispered. "Even if I wanted to." She kissed his cheek as they sat

down, their backs against the tree and held each other until sunrise. Then, as the sun came up over the horizon,

Inu Yasha began to disappear.

"Carry on, Kagome. We'll be together again soon. I swear it." Kagome sniffled and stood up, refusing

to cry. She watched Inu Yasha until he disappeared completely.

"I will, Inu Yasha. I'll carry on." she whispered.

*`*finis*`*  

Nami's Notes: This is, I think, the very first fic I ever wrote. And it was _years_ ago!! Eek!      


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